Development and validation of SLPS: Slovak semantically predictable sentences

OBJECTIVE: Well-balanced, semantically predictable sentence materials do not exist in the Slovak language. The primary goal of the current study was to develop and validate a set of sentences in stationary, speech-weighted noise that are equally difficult at the 50% point of a performance intensity curve. DESIGN: Listening tests were performed using a fixed signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), encompassing five different SNR levels. The selected sentences were validated using an adaptive method. STUDY SAMPLE: Reference data were obtained from native Slovakian adults with normal hearing (85 participants in the first phase and 37 participants in the second phase). RESULTS: The study yielded 18 sets of 10 sentences with an average fitted SRT (at 50% point) in noise of -4.5 dB SNR (SD = ±0.6 dB). The average slope of the performance intensity function was 14.4%/dB (SD = ±3.8%/dB). CONCLUSIONS: The Slovakian sentence test material can assess speech understanding in noise across various clinical and non-clinical applications.